Kia Sportage Si Premium car pool

The car: Kia Sportage Si Premium

The price: $29,990 plus on-road and dealer costs

Vital statistics: 2.0-litre 4-cyl petrol; 6-speed automatic; FWD; 122kW/205Nm; 8.4L/100km and 200g/km CO2. 

Why we're driving it: Kia has added a new model to its Sportage range, sitting at the top of the front-wheel-drive models and bringing additional features to the compact SUV.

Likes: Kia's Sportage remains one of the sharpest-looking SUVs on the road, helped by a new look with revised alloy wheels, LED daytime running lights, LED rear lamps and minor interior upgrades.

The car rides well and feels fairly refined on the road, but lacks the sharpness of class-leading rivals in bends. 

Kia's new Si Premium spec comes fitted with an automatic transmission as standard, and also brings a welcome range of extras including 17-inch alloys and roof rails at a decent price.

A mirror-mounted reversing camera is an excellent addition that brings safety benefits.

Five-year warranty.

Dislikes: Kia's single colour dot-matrix stereo display feels dated compared with modern colour TFT units that are available in most new cars, and the small, mirror-mounted reversing camera is less clear than full-size dashboard versions.

Adjustable driver's lumbar support is a welcome addition, but passengers should not miss out on this feature.

Rear seat leg room is tight, and not helped by hard seat-backs that are uncomfortable for passengers' knees.

A low-mount boot release can be awkward for taller owners, though 564 litre storage capacity is excellent.

Petrol engine lacks punch.

Kia's 8.4L/100km fuel economy is well behind rivals such as the Mazda CX-5's 7.4L/100km. 

Would you buy one: The Sportage is a convincing, value-packed vehicle in a competitive segment, but I would pay more for the four-wheel-drive version.